Changes to the training boundaries for GPs will create an illogical division between the ACT and the NSW south coast, according to the ACT Australian Medical Association.
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This year the federal government announced trainee doctors in the ACT would be sent as far west as the South Australian border, rather than to more familiar towns such as Queanbeyan, Cooma or Batemans Bay.
ACT Australian Medical Association president Dr Elizabeth Gallagher campaigned against the changes and warned they could make it more difficult to attract GPs to Canberra.
"It means those on training programs in Queanbeyan or Bungendore will probably not come to Canberra, as they are now in a different training zone that extends north to southern Sydney," she said.
"The ACT region has always had a strong association with Queanbeyan and the Batemans Bay region despite these changes."
The government's reform of GP training was announced in the 2014/15 budget and included the abolition of the general practice education and training body and the prevocational placement program to fund an additional 3000 training positions.
Health Minister Sussan Ley said changes were made after consultation with GP stakeholders and would streamline administrative and corporate requirements, making it easier to support more GP registrars.
But Dr Gallagher said the revised boundaries could make it harder to recruit junior GPs from Queanbeyan and nearby towns as they could be as far north as southern Sydney.
"Only 5 to 10 per cent of ANU medical students are local and the idea is to get them staying in the area once they graduate," she said.
"If Canberra is difficult, imagine what it is like for regional towns to attract GPs and doctors."
The changes were welcomed by the Australian College of Rural and Remote Medicine president, associate professor Lucie Walters, who recognised they would bring "mixed responses" from colleagues.
General Practice Supervisors Australia chairman Dr Bruce Willett said the changes were an important step to rebuild training although "the devil is in the detail that is yet to be revealed".
In Victoria, four training boundaries were reduced to two known as Eastern and Western Victoria.
Dr Gallagher said the training sector in the ACT was well established although many doctors trained in Canberra moved interstate once they finished training.
"We are starting to keep our own there is no doubt about that but trainee specialists often have to leave town for training purposes," she said.
